Vertical hydroponic gardens are excellent ways for gardeners of any skill level to tie together their love of gardening and interior design. Whether you are considering a vertical garden to conserve space in your home or because you enjoy their aesthetic, you must first know how to make one. From the simplest DIY creations to the most advanced hydroponic towers, how to make a vertical garden at home starts with these basic concepts.
Get Your Concept Down
First, you need a concept for your hydroponic vertical garden. This can vary from buying a pre-made setup, like a pricey tower, to a homemade creation from a single PVC tube, chains, and bottles. You also must decide now where the garden will go in your house. Though a vertical garden takes up less space, you’ll still need to provide room for the nutrient solution basin and save space for either natural or UV lighting. You can also install the hydroponic garden right into a wall of your home, but it will be more expensive.
Another inexpensive way to create a hydroponic vertical garden is by repurposing a shelving unit or creating shelves from PVC piping. Small containers can sit perfectly on each rack and drain down into the basin below.
Create Your Garden
The next step is to craft your vertical garden. There are several different ways you can create a garden from recycled materials or PVC, so we’ll go over two of them.
The PVC Tower
A vertical hydroponic tower is an ideal setup for growers with extremely limited space and a knack for crafting. Your tower requires the following:
- A drainage hole at the bottom
- Angled holes for the hydroponic container supports
- A basin with a cover
- A lid with holes drilled into it for the top of the tower
- A pump
- A hydroponic irrigation system
- Diagonally cut PVC pipe plant supports, all uniform in size
Once you set up the inside of your tower to disperse the nutrient solution equally among your plants with your hydroponic drip irrigation system, gravity will do most of the work for you. The small nature of the tower’s containers may only allow for the growing of herbs and other small plants that don’t require much room for their roots. Remember, when gluing the container supports to the tower, grind the PVC gently with sandpaper before placing the PVC solvent for a sturdier connection.
The Vertical Shelf
Creating a shelf-like vertical hydroponic garden is a better idea for beginners who are looking for how to make a vertical garden at home. You can repurpose a small shelving unit and use the bottom layer for the nutrient basin or create a winding PVC pipeline for your plants’ containers to fit directly into. If you drill directly into the PVC, make sure to rinse the pipe with water a few times to get the dust out before gardening.
After you’ve put the finishing touches on your DIY vertical garden, optimize it by adding timers on the lights and pump. Let gravity do most of the work—water can flow from plant to plant and provide nutrients on the way. For any hydroponic system, FloraFlex has you covered with our large stock of hydroponic gardening supplies like tubing, drip nozzles, and hydroponic fertilizer.
